Download of the day: Opera

Our daily pick of the best Windows software

With a range of new and improved features, the Opera web browser is tooled up and ready to challenge the big boys in the browser war.

Why you need it

Start the new year with a new browser and give Opera a try. Although it's not as well known as some of its bigger-name rivals, it's been around for years and has made some real strides forward.

Thanks to the browser wars that have been hotting up in recent years, Opera has seen its performance markedly improve. It's now right up there as a genuine competitor to the big boys of Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer.

Aside from the fast loading speeds, useful organisational tools and competitive range of extensions, Opera has a few interesting tricks up its sleeve. There's the Speed Dial, which displays customisable tiles for your favourite websites whenever you open a new tab. Added to that is that Turbo mode, which compresses web pages by up to 80%, saving you bandwidth if you're not on an unlimited internet plan.

So take a break from the big browsers and give Opera a try – you could be pleasantly surprised.

Key features

Works on: PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android and more

Versions: Free

Fast: Competition from its rivals has seen Opera up its performance, making it about as fast as the super speedy Google Chrome

Extensions: Add extra features to your browsing experience with the large choice of extensions available to download

Extra features: Opera has some useful features of its own, such as Speed Dial and Turbo mode